Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-09-25
GOTHAM GOSSIP.
INV YORK CITY, ITS PEOPLE, AND ITS
AMusRMgErs.
Striking Scenes on Broadway-The Ad.
ventures OF student Langtry-
finaneiers-The Theatres.

asked Of several old New Workers the
other day. Each had looked at the
ropidly-sbifting panorama to discover
something that tue other did no. seem
20 have noticed. 1.-The most remarka-
bic scene ! ever beheld,ihere," answer
ed one, "was Stephen A. Douglas
speaking from the balcony OF the
Irving House, at the corner of Broad.
way ard Chambers street, in 1854, Just
after the passage Of the Kansas Nebrds-
la bill. There was the great Repubi-
can torch,ight procession in 1851 in
honor OF Abe Lincoln, in which Wide
awakes from every State participated
Those from Maine were six feet tall.
There was marked contrast between
that gay spectacle and the gloomy
sight at Lincoln's funeral. Never
have bindings been so heavily draped
in black as they were then. The parade
Of the Atlantic cable celebration in 1889
was another notable scene on Broad
WAY, and rs the crowd moved along
they looked mp to see the dome of the
city hall afre from the Examinations.
A procession two and half miles long
moved along Broadway at the Worlds
Fair parade. 4 storm came up and
swept over part of the city. Half OF
the men in line were drenched to the
skin, while the other half Of the col
umn escaped without having the dust
laid on their garments. The funeral
cOrtCOe that followed the remains OF
Fanny PaInell was a weird sight rs il
moved along Broadway at night. Then
there was the carnival, which proved
failure. The Rex of the pageant was n
young brewer, who is said TO have paid
$1,000 for the privilege Of assuming
the roic as an advertisement Of his
business"
When the speaker had told of these
and other scenes, grave and gay, that
he had witnessed on Broadway, another
nan was asked what was the most nota-
bic incident that he ever saw there.
He said: alt WAS Lucille Western
walking up the street and rchearsing
her pant rs she went. People who did
not know her took her to be crazy, and
her violent gestures and earnest NUT
toripCs were well calculated to Gre
ate that impression. You would be
surprised to note the number Of
persons who talk TO themselves as they
walk along Broadway. They are rs
oblivous to their surroundings and as
much alone as if they were in q for
est"
TIE STRASGrg.
The student of Broadway walked MP
tie street one forenoon last week look
lug for striking modern scenes. The
Sidewalks have never been so blockadod
with loXcs and bales and the eyer-wel-
cone rIal visitors. The later are
mentioned adyiscIly You can tel a
stranger to New York by tine slow and
confused manner that he makes his way
along tie street. Your New Yorker
keeps 10 tine right and goes with
rush, slipping IN and out
Of the crowds with skill born Of
experience. \ stranger VIII take the
wrong SIDE OF the walk, stop to look in
AT window, and impede tbcpr0gress of
atlous0ndhurry pedestrians Owing
to one of tics. biockad tie student
turned out INTO the street, a truck
loaded With barrels of RUSSIAN blue
bad been mixed up in q blockade Their
and barrel of the powder scattered on
TIE street. The student trod on it and
froscood his boots II eaudy blue. 4
few blocks farther on a boy carrying
paper of red lead was encountered He
Let it dIOp ON the Sidewalk and some Of
the stuff decorated the Students boots,
which were thus given q truly startling
effect Hc stopped to have his boots
cleaned at stand kept by an Italian
who wore a,cop with q tortoise Shell
fortpiece, head covering, by tlo way,
that certain Italian dudes Greatly crave
Tie italian had polished one boot.
when lie looked up, saw people running
il all directions, and followed their cE-
ample. A dog, supposed to be mad
was dashiug along the street. The
student went away from there. Miracu-
lousy enough, policeman managed
t. shoot the dog at the second shot and
peace WAS restored. The student finally
got his other shoe polished and con
tinued his march. The ruins of big
toy store on the north side of the street
that recently burned with loss of life
are being removed. IN front of
this llacc stood go Italian wo-
men and children. The women wore
the awnipg-lihe lcad-cOvenng OF
their native costume aui great gold
hoops or pendants in their ears. When
the workmcn wOuld throw a piece OF
clarred wood or a halg-burued blnlle
Of paper on the street the women and
children WOuld rush forward aud scgam-
bic for the prize. They completely
blCckaded the sidewalk. One woman,
WHO was Carrying a biz buujle OF
chnIrVd wood on her head, cO.iiaed
with man, and her bundle toppled
lackva ards and struck the student on
the feet, running the polish on his boots
nd causing him to hop about with
agoDy.
TIE OLD TOWN.
When he had recovered from the ac-
cident the student continued ms march.
There is one house on busy Broadway
between the Battery and Union Square.
1t has steadfastly resisted the encroach-
ments of commerce. Great stone phi
Lars extend from foundation TO root Of
Tie l.ill htOut IiAHciOH. II 10 oA4h
thai its blinds are always closed,
and, although it is occupied, it
looks deserted and grim. The stu
dent walked ON mile after mile
until he passed One hundred-and-
twenty-eighth street. Then he be-
gan to enter the strangest part
Of Broadway. Quaint old tumble
down buildings flank it, grass is grow
ing in the interSiices between the flag
ging of the sidewalk, great trees that
were planted by the Dutch are seen
here and there, and at one point an old
board fence is built entirely across the
street. The student stopped at this
fence, turned back, and took train for
home. Night came on, and at midnight
lie visited that portion of Broadway
between Grand and Twelfth streets.
The crowds that had blockaded
The sidewalks were gone. At
o'clock only policeman or
an occasional straggler was abroad.
Suddenly patter Of feet was heard,
and two men came rushing along and
swept on toward Union Square. A POI
hceman pursued and arrested them.
They tried 20 explain why they were
iunning, but lac would not believe
them. Not until they had reached tine
sfatioD.ho xDaro tbav obln 10 ,,~o,,a